


Panic

by CavannaRose



Series: Assorted Marvel Fics [6]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Firefight, Gender non-specific Reader - Freeform, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Gender-neutral Reader, Guns, M/M, Mack is a sweetie, Panic, Panic Attacks, Shooting Guns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 14:16:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13191831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CavannaRose/pseuds/CavannaRose
Summary: Reader is a rookie agent, out on the field for the first time when they are struck by a panic attack. Mack helps them through it.





	Panic

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "A panicked person is a dead person."
> 
> Mack x Reader

FUBAR. You'd heard the acronym, but now you finally understood what it could mean. Fucked. Up. Beyond. All. Relief. That was definitely the current mission status as you huddled behind the bullet-riddled hull of what was once a nice mid-range sports utility vehicle, trying to breath. You glared down at the near-useless gun in your hand, as if the 9-Gauge was somehow responsible for the hail of shrapnel and ordinance flying over and around you. You weren't a coward, not once during basic training to you show signs of freezing up when things got rough... But training wasn't real life.

Agents on either side of you were masterfully alternating between blind shots and bolting into the line of fire, and you'd almost psyched yourself up to join them, looking to the person on your left. With the flack jackets and face shields you couldn't tell whether they were male or female, never mind which agent it was. There was a degree of safety in anonymity. As you inched closer to them, they stood, taking rapid-fire shots at the enemy.

The sound their body made when it hit the ground was going to haunt your nightmares for years to come. Once more you found yourself frozen, despite the combat surrounding you. The shouts of your fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agents couldn't even begin to penetrate the icy grip of terror that held you in place. This was it. You were going to die here, boots on the ground and gun limply held at your side. You could see it all, and it overwhelmed you.

A deep, gentle voice called your name, the strength in it breaking through your fear cocoon enough so that you could turn your head. The dark brown eyes of Alphonso Mackenzie caught yours, and the breath you didn't even know you had been holding slowly released. Reaching out a massive hand, he settled it on your shoulder. Somehow, the warmth and weight of it stabilized you, even through the protective armour you were wrapped in. You searched his face with your tear-dampened eyes, trying to explain your failure, but there were no words.

When he spoke, it was with the calm and patience he was famous for. "Look, I know this isn't what we were prepped for, but a panicked person is a dead person. I don't want you to be a dead person, rookie. Do you?" Shaking your head, you tightened your grip on your gun, bringing it back up to chest level, steadying yourself, breathing. Mack continued to make eye contact with you. "That's good, agent. Much better. Now, we gotta get out of here, so I'm gonna lead the way. That makes it your job to watch my back. Can you do that?"

Swallowing, you sweep your vision across the field again. So many agents dead, so many friends from the Academy. So much for routine cleanup. Across the field you could see Agent Morse gathering the rest of the recruits. It was just you, you were the only one that had frozen. Shame coloured your cheeks, and your gun fell again, eyes on your toes. "I'm not sure I can do it, Agent Mackenzie. I never..." Truth was you had never expected to do field work. You aced the training, your marksmanship was on point, but you were a scientist at heart. You were with S.H.I.E.L.D. for the advanced technology, for the brilliant minds. You'd only been tapped for this mission because it was supposed to be easy, and they wanted everyone to have at least a little field experience these days.

"Hey. Stay with me, rookie." His hand was on your shoulder again, giving you a little shake. Bringing you back to the here and now. "You can do this. I trust you." He shouldn't, but the part of you that had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't want to let him down. Science and technology were everywhere, but S.H.I.E.L.D. was helping people, helping heroes. That's what you had wanted to do, that was what Mack was asking you to do. He was a hero, you were here to help him. You could do that. You had the damn training.

Gritting your jaw, your gun came up again, a new determination in your eyes. Agent Mackenzie grinned, patting your shoulder. "That's the stuff, rookie. Stay close, we're going to have to take the long way around to meet up with Morse and the other agents at the extraction point."

Without another look to make sure you were behind him, Mack took off across the field, moving with practiced ease that you couldn't help but admire. Slowly but surely, you followed. Your progress came in fits and starts, but you made it, until finally you were both on the far side of the field of battle, ducking into an abandoned building. Once you were inside Mack slammed the door closed, and you leaned against the wall, drooping with relief. From now on you were going to politely decline field placement. You were much better in the lab.

Mack swung around to you suddenly, bracing one large hand on either side of your shoulders, filling your field of view with eyes that were filled with equal parts worry and anger. "What the hell was that out there? You could have been killed!" You flinched, not able to meet his gaze. He wasn't wrong.

Strong fingers caught your chin, turning your face up to catch your eyes once again. The anger melted from his expression, and when he spoke it was the gentle, calm Mack you were used to once more. "Never scare me like that again. My heart can't take it."

He brought his lips to meet yours, a slow, soft, celebration of survival. With a quiet sound of capitulation, you melted against his massive chest, one gloved hand clinging to his flak vest, the other reaching up to cup the back of his shaved head. Your tongues wrapped around one another in a languorous dance, before he broke the kiss, and you both pulled away, colour on two sets of cheeks. Mack coughed.

"Right, we better reach the rendezvous before Morse or I'll never hear the end of it. Come on, rookie." Winking, he moved towards the back exit of the building, and you followed. At least now your hands weren't shaking.


End file.
